Chapter 3: Refusing the Role of the Virtuous Consort

Chapter 3: Refusing the Role of the Virtuous Consort

Fuhua Palace was located northwest of Fengyi Palace, aligned with the leading palace of the eastern six palaces, Zhaoyang Palace, and the leading palace of the western six palaces, Yuhua Palace, and situated to the west of Yuhua Palace.

When Zhu Yan first entered the palace, she lived in Guanghua Palace with the other selected ladies. Later, as she became the most favored in the harem and was promoted to the rank of Beauty, the despicable emperor wanted her to move to Qingyang Palace. Guanghua Palace was the last in the western six palaces, while Qingyang Palace was the third in the eastern six palaces, traditionally the residence of Zhaoyi.

At that time, the despicable emperor had already prepared to appoint her as Zhaoyi.

She joked casually, "What's the point of moving? It's just another place that others have lived in."

Because of that remark, the despicable emperor built a new palace to the west of Yuhua Palace, in front of the original western garden's lotus pond. It was completed when the lotus flowers were in bloom, hence named Fuhua Palace.

This event had caused significant criticism from the court officials.

The Emperor punished the officials who directly remonstrated with him by sending them to live in thatched cottages.

In the Emperor's words, simply building a house was accused of being an extravagant construction. "Fine then, since they don't need luxurious houses, let them all live in thatched cottages."

He even decreed that descendants of the remonstrating officials up to the third generation were not allowed to live in luxurious houses or sleep in high beds.

Zhu Yan, since entering the palace, never aspired to be a virtuous consort. The Emperor was extremely domineering, and she was a beneficiary in this matter. She didn’t want to be hypocritical, so she never advised the Emperor.

As a result.

Her reputation in the former dynasty's inner court wasn’t very good.

Two years ago, she declined the position of Zhaoyi. Turning away, the Emperor brought a dancer from the Chongyang Princess’s residence to the palace and appointed her as Zhaoyi. The Empress Dowager advised at the time: "Zhaoyi is the foremost of the nine concubines, symbolizing distinguished female grace. Coming from a dancer background, Chu Shi is not suitable for this role."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately established Li Fei as a rank above the four concubines, below the imperial concubines, and above the Zhaoyi, with a status of junior first rank.

The Empress Dowager fell ill for half a month because of this.

Since then, Li Fei became the favored one in the harem.

This was the 'affection' the Empress spoke of. Zhu Yan could only scoff at this, feeling fortunate to have distanced herself early, thankful for having her son, Zhang Ji, and grateful for the ancestral laws of the dynasty that would allow her to accompany her son to his fiefdom and become the Dowager Queen there, as long as she outlived the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor is approaching," came a reminder from Qu Gu.

Hearing this, Zhu Yan instinctively lowered her head as the sound of footsteps approached, until she saw a flash of imperial yellow and heard Qu Gu respectfully greet, "This servant pays respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Yan followed suit, kneeling and bowing deeply.

Without hearing any command to rise, Zhu Yan only felt a sharp gaze piercing through her, like thorns on her back, oppressive and unyielding.

She understood that there was a quick way out. Merely by speaking up, she could immediately have Su Cairen transferred out of Fuhua Palace. But she also knew that the Emperor had deliberately placed Su Cairen there to test her, awaiting her request to move Su Cairen out.

Yet, she refused to yield. Doing so would signify her submission, transforming her past two years of refusing titles and favor into mere capriciousness.

Quarrels at the bedhead, reconciliations at the bed end.

This was not what she desired.

So, despite Qu Gu's insistent tugging at her sleeve, signaling her to speak, Zhu Yan remained silent and did not raise her head, continuing her respectful salute as always. Only after a long time, when her knees began to ache, did she hear a cold snort laden with mockery.

Then, footsteps echoed away, and Zhu Yan straightened up, lifting her head.

The person had left.

"Your Majesty, it's been two years," Qu Gu remarked.

Two years?

Zhu Yan looked up at the sky, where the clouds were leisurely, and the setting sun painted the west in a glow of red and gold. It seemed likely to be sunny the next day.

They say time flies.

Yet, she felt time moved too slowly. Her son Zhang Ji was only nominally three years old, still twelve years away from reaching fifteen and being sent to govern a fiefdom.

On the way back to the palace, after dismissing the other palace maids, Qu Gu cautiously whispered, "Your Majesty, I noticed the Emperor's gaze on you today seemed somewhat unusual."

Zhu Yan remained silent but looked up, signaling Qu Gu to continue.

Over the past two years, she and the Emperor led separate lives. She devoted herself to her son, and he had Chu Lìfei and other consorts for company, coexisting in an unspoken truce.

A silence of two years.

And now, this sudden maneuver.

Zhu Yan's mind was in turmoil.

"The Emperor's gaze was exceptionally cold, so piercing it felt like it could seep into one's bones. Especially the way he stared at Your Majesty, as if he wanted to devour you alive. It frightened me to the core," Qu Gu replied. She wanted to add that, in the past, even when Your Majesty ignored the Emperor, his eyes always held a warmth for you.

Sadly, Your Majesty never looked up.

"And yet you dared to tug at me." Zhu Yan glanced at Qu Gu, still showing signs of fear.

"At that moment, I thought if only Your Majesty would say something, maybe the Emperor would change. In the past, no matter how angry His Majesty was, whenever he encountered Your Majesty..."

"Don't talk about the past anymore."

Zhu Yan suddenly grew agitated. She now despised any mention of the past. Did she still trust the Emperor? At the completion of Fuhua Palace, he had said it was her palace alone. Yet, this time, he had approved Su Cairen's placement there.

Contemplating the day's harrowing events, Zhu Yan rubbed her temples. "Instead of pondering these matters, it's better to figure out how to transfer Su Cairen out of Fuhua Palace."

Seeing Zhu Yan's reaction, Qu Gu didn't dare suggest appealing to the Emperor again and instead proposed, "Your Majesty, perhaps we could ask Qin Meiren to recommend Su Cairen to Xu Zhaojun."

"You're thinking along the same lines as me," Zhu Yan nodded in agreement.

Qin Meiren entered the palace in the same year as Zhu Yan and had a close relationship with her, having borne the Sixth Princess.

Qin Meiren was currently residing in Xu Zhaojun's Chonghua Palace.

Xu Zhaojun.

Xu Zhaojun was quite a unique figure in the palace.

She was a relative from the maternal family of the Emperor's late mother, Empress Wen Zhen.

Empress Wen Zhen passed away two years before the Emperor was named Crown Prince and was posthumously honored as Empress.

After becoming Crown Prince, the Emperor, in remembrance of his late mother, wanted to honor his maternal family by marrying a cousin from his mother's side as his second wife. However, the late Emperor disagreed and instead chose Liu Shi, the current Empress Liu.

The Emperor didn't bring his cousin from his mother's side into the Eastern Palace as a concubine.

But the Xu family, unwilling to miss the opportunity, selected a distant niece, Xu Zhaojun, to enter the Eastern Palace.

Originally, with her Xu surname and the favor left by the late Empress Wen Zhen, Xu Zhaojun was expected to secure a position among the four imperial consorts after the Emperor ascended the throne. Unfortunately, Xu Zhaojun, though blessed with beauty, lacked wisdom and often acted foolishly.

The practice of palace consorts recommending their own maids to the Emperor began with Xu Zhaojun.

Before this, even Empress Liu hadn't dared to do such a thing.

After being chastised and confined for half a year, Xu Zhaojun stubbornly persisted in her ways, blaming the incident on the unattractive appearance of the maid she recommended, which she thought displeased the Emperor. That maid was then demoted to the Laundry Bureau by her.

In this regard, Zhu Yan somewhat agreed with Xu Zhaojun's thinking.

The Emperor wasn't averse to maids, only concerned with their appearance. Wang Zhao Rong, one of the nine consorts, was originally a palace maid.

Since Xu Zhaojun stopped offering maids, she began recommending low-ranking but beautiful consorts who hadn't won the Emperor's favor, under the guise of mutual support.

Zhu Yan often thought that if not for her Xu surname, she would have been demoted to a commoner and secluded in the Northern Palace by the Emperor long ago.

"However, with Su Cairen's beauty, it's hard for her not to be favored," Qu Gu worriedly said. Although she and Zhu Yan had the same idea, if Su Cairen gained favor, Xu Zhaojun wouldn't dare to intervene. Xu Zhaojun, despite her overbearing nature, only showed her true colors in front of those she could offend, which was one of the reasons she remained among the nine consorts.

"Let's wait and see," Zhu Yan said coldly, believing that if the Emperor had any shame, he wouldn't favor Su Wanqing in Fuhua Palace.

For now, her only hope was that Su Wanqing would keep a low profile.

Author's note:

The first two chapters of this book have been extensively revised.

Reason for revision: 1# In the previous version, the protagonist felt too constrained and it was painful to write. This silly author just wants to write an exhilarating story~~

2# Wanted to portray a different kind of harem and despicable emperor

3# The protagonist is not the epitome of a virtuous consort, nor is the despicable emperor a model ruler~~